Laarne

Laarne is a municipality locatedit in the Belgian province o East Flanders. The municipality comprises the touns o Kalken an Laarne proper. On Januar 1, 2006 Laarne haed a total population o 11,736. The total aurie is 32.07 km² which gives a population density o 366 inhabitants per km². The current mayor o Laarne is Ignace De Baerdemaecker, frae the VLD (Liberal) party.

The vileelage lies tae the east o Ghent, near a umwhile course o the River Scheldt an is notable for its castle. This dates frae the twalt an later centuries, notably, the seiventeent an haes been sympathetically restored an re-furnished.

The name arises frae the Germanic hlaeri which signifies terrain seen as woodit an mairshy. It is possible tae speculate that the veelage oreeginatit in servin the castle, which in turn, guardedit the river approach tae Ghent frae the sea. In the twalft century, that wis less remote frae the ceety than it is the day. In 1040, Laarne wis mentioned as Laren.

The lairdship passed bi inheritance through the families o Schoutheete, van Vilsteren an ithers, fieenally tae the coonts o Ribaucourt. The castle is nou awned bi the Vereniging van Historische Woonsteden van België (the Union o Historic Homesteads o Belgium).

• Offeecial wabsteid - Anerlie available in Dutch

Coordinates: 51°01′44″N 3°51′07″E / 51.029°N 3.852°E / 51.029; 3.852